By Christopher Hunt
SARATOGA SPRINGS – Shenendehowa coach Mark Thompson made certain to use the words “soundly beaten” when he talked about where his team stood with three-quarters of a mile left in the Class AA race the Section 2 championships. But whether it was catching a glimpse of the finish line or the sight of sectional championship and berth to the state meet fading away, Shen summoned something in that final stretch.
Maybe it was the sight of Shaker jerseys within reach. Whatever it was, Shen transformed a blown opportunity into a stirring win as they took the Class AA championship at Saratoga Spa State Park, 59-63, over Shaker. Thompson said he knew it would be close.
“There top five has changed so much through the season that it made it difficult to match up,” Thompson said. “They don’t a set No. 2 man or No. 3, so I told them to match up to the closest Shaker jersey.”
But two miles into the race Shen was still chasing. Shen’s Dan Harris won the 3-mile race in 14:16.68. Teammates Ian Dorset (12th) and Mitch Todorov (15th) sandwiched Shaker’s Ryan Egan and Jon Vallecorsa. Shen was also strapped without Chris Shartrand, the team’s usual #4 runner, who was forced to sit out with the flu. But Shen still managed to snag the win.
“This is probably my proudest moment as a coach,” Thompson said.
He said that because this Shen team didn’t gain the same recognition as the teams he fielded the last two years, especially last year when they spent most of the season nationally-ranked. It wasn’t just that this team didn’t garner high expectations, but many didn’t expect much from them at all.
“This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for us,” Harris said
“A lot of people thought that Shen wasn’t going to be any good this year,” Kimmey said. “People talked about Shaker and Saratoga. We wanted to prove that we’re still here.”
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake didn’t quite have anything to prove in but they made a statement nonetheless. BHBL won the Class A title with just 17 points, an impressive victory over rival Queensbury, which finished with 44. Burnt Hills took the first four spots, led by senior Scott Maughan, who won in 15:38.63 with junior Otis Ubriaco just behind in 15:38.92. Sean Pezzulo was third in 15:55.35 with Chris Frenandez fourth in 15:59.07. Dan Fernandez was seventh for Burnt Hills in a personal-best on the ocourse, 16:10.91.
“Time-wise, we’ve been faster this year,” coach Chip Button said. “That really wasn’t the point today.”
Button couldn’t help but make mention to the sustained rivalry between Burnt Hills and QAueensbury that has resulted in year after year of intense racing and ended in Burnt Hills’ 12 section title in 19 years. But he couldn’t remember his team imposing their will this way.
“We might have had some better teams but we never looked that good coming off the hill (about 1.5 miles into the race).”
Maughn said he also didn’t expect that his team would earn such a decisive win. The team’s sixth man, Dan King, broke his collar bone before the meet and is done for the season.
“It gives us a lot of confidence,” he said. “(Most importantly) we’re all healthy. It was bad for awhile with people getting sick or hurt but we got through it.”
Broadalbin-Perth won the Class B race handily with 50 points. Lansingburgh finished second with 111. Cobleskill’s David Richards won the individual title in 15:33.02 but Broadalin-Perth was led by Justin Ferguson (16:09.86) and Adam Rasefske (16:13.85), who finished fifth and sixth respectively. Then B-P jammed Andrew Casper, James Vainauskas and Andrew Bogdan in to grab 12th, 13th and 14th place.
Fonda-Fultonville snagged a one-point win over Voorheesville for the Class C title, winning 44-45, after Voorheesville’s Conor Cashin won the individual race in 15:48.44. Fonda-Fultonville made the differen when Michael Scott (8th) and Cody Shave (9th) finished ahead of Voorheesville’s Joe Becker and Dylan Parry, who where then sandwiched by Matt Hoffman and Ian Chapin of Fonda-Fultonville. Berne-Know Westerlo won Class D with 65 points. Greenwich’s Austin Lane won the race in 15:45.90.
